10 June 2008

How to make a red ring of death

Ever wondered how Microsoft managed to launch a game console that routinely overheated, burned out, and had to be replaced?

EE Times has the story. Microsoft decided to try to save a few bucks by designing a key graphics ASIC themselves, instead of going to a company with experience in chip design. They sent their design straight to the fabricators. It was only when the console was in full production that they learned about the overheating issue. Oops.